


Right till the end

by S_Horne



Series: A May Medley [18]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Established Relationship, HIV, HIV/AIDS, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-18
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-07 11:22:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18872182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/S_Horne/pseuds/S_Horne
Summary: It was ironic, really, Tony mused as he stared out at the sea, his eyes too blurry to see anything. In his youth, he’d slept with too many people to remember, never mind count, and yet…God, there had been so many and Tony was ashamed to say that he had never been particularly safe. He’d never really cared enough and, when he’d been with Ty, he’d always been far too out of it to care about who was pushed into his bed – or whose he was pushed into.Tony had made so many stupid mistakes and yet every single one of his tests had come back clean.ORNational HIV Vaccine Awareness Day





	Right till the end

**Author's Note:**

> Day Eighteen: _National HIV Vaccine Awareness Day_
> 
>  
> 
> Past dub-con there and gone in a flash

_It was ironic, really,_ Tony mused as he stared out at the sea, his eyes too blurry to see anything. In his youth, he’d slept with too many people to remember, never mind count, and yet…

God, there had been so many and Tony was ashamed to say that he had never been particularly safe. He’d never really cared enough and, when he’d been with Ty, he’d always been far too out of it to care about who was pushed into his bed – or whose he was pushed into.

Tony had made so many stupid mistakes and yet every single one of his tests had come back clean.

 

It was Steve’s that hadn’t.

Tony’s beautiful, innocent, sweet Steve whose tests had come back as positive. Positive for HIV. They weren’t entirely sure where it had come from, but they had some idea. Steve had grown up in a rough neighbourhood and had had to do some things he wasn’t proud of in order to survive, in order to make rent.

Steve had had no choice in doing the things he had to support, to _save,_ his family and he had been punished in the cruellest way. Tony had done much the same things, but he’d done them for reckless fun whilst under the influence and he’d gotten off scot-free.

It wasn’t fair.

 

 

“Hey.” Tony didn’t acknowledge Steve as he sat down on the sand next to him. “Thought I’d find you out here.”

Tony didn’t say anything, a single tear slipping out of his eye and down his cheek. Steve sighed deeply and shuffled a little closer.

“I’m okay, Tony. Really. It’s–”

“Don’t you dare say it’s nothing.”

“But it is,” Steve said softly. “It’s–”

“HIV,” Tony cut in, still not looking away from the rolling waves. “It’s HIV, Steve. You can’t say it’s nothing.”

“It’s only the virus, sweetheart.” Steve shifted to face Tony, one arm wrapped around his knees and one hand stretched out to cup Tony’s wrist. “I’m not trying to diminish it, but it’s only the virus. It’s not the disease, alright?”

“Don’t say only,” Tony sniffed. “It’s big. Steve, this is so big.”

Steve sighed and let his head fall forward as Tony finally turned to look at him. “They have medication. I’m not sure I can afford it, but–”

“Shut up,” Tony snapped, his body tensing. “Of course we can afford it. I’ll rob a bank if I had to, but you know I have enough.”

There was a long silence and just as Steve opened his mouth, Tony shook his head sharply.

“And don’t you dare say what I think you’re about to say.”

“You know it’s sensible,” Steve said, holding Tony’s gaze. “This is the chance. I want you to–”

“Shut _up!_ I don’t want to hear it. Don’t, Steve, don’t you _dare_.”

“Okay.” Steve reached forward and pulled Tony’s rigid body towards him. Tony didn’t give up much of a protest, but he didn’t relax into the hold. “Okay, I won’t.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Steve. Not in a million years. I won’t go – I mean it. I don’t want; I _can’t_.”

“Okay, sweetheart. Okay. I’m here; it’s alright.”

Tony felt a kiss dropped to the crown of his head and closed his eyes, burying his head in Steve’s neck. It wasn’t alright, not by a long shot, but Tony would be there until the end.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> (You might have guessed from several of my titles lately and this fic who my favourite band are...)


End file.
